Small farmers in Benin in West Africa are using solar panels to power an innovative drip-irrigation system.

By Janeen Madan, Nourishing the Planet / August 24, 2011

Nearly 2 billion people around the world live off the electricity grid. Lack of access to energy can take a huge toll, especially on food security. Without energy for irrigation, for example, small-scale farmers must rely on unpredictable rainfall to grow the crops they depend on for food and income.